Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin calls last orders on political parties as he reveals he won't be backing any of them ahead of the general election despite previously donating to Reform and the Conservatives

JD Wetherspoon boss Sir Tim Martin has announced that he will not be backing a political party at the general election, despite supporting the Conservatives and Reform in the past and donating £200,000 to the Vote Leave campaign in 2016.

At the last election in 2019, the founder and chairman of the pub chain gave £50,000 to a Boris Johnson-led Conservative Party.

Two years later, the prominent Brexiteer handed Reform UK £25,000 when it was established by Nigel Farage and Richard Tice.

The businessman has also donated money to the Labour Leave pressure group.

Sir Tim, 69, appeared to heap praise on Sir Keir Starmer in 2023 but his refusal to fork out the cash to back the party this year seems to indicate he has not been impressed by the Labour leader.

He told The Telegraph: 'For a number of years I donated to the Brexit Party, Reform and Labour Leave.

'I decided not to back any party in this general election, which was my approach in all general elections before the referendum. I have made no donations to political parties this year.' 

Sir Tim has previously claimed he would support the Labour leader if he offered a good collection of policies, insisting he has never been a supporter of the Tory party.

The outspoken Wetherspoon chairman pointed out that he had only backed Mr Johnson as he aligned with his views on Brexit.

Sir Tim received his knighthood in the New Year Honours for services to businesses and hospitality but the nomination was also thought to have accounted for his backing of Britain's exit from the EU.

The honour was praised by Mr Farage, as well as Brexiteer Conservative politicians including Sir Jacob Rees Mogg.

The businessman has stuck by his support for the UK's decision to leave the block but has accepted that 'exaggerated claims' were made by both sides of the debate.

Sir Tim also became an outspoken critic of Covid lockdowns, warning of the impact they had on the hospitality industry.

Wetherspoon, which Sir Tim has grown into a national chain with more than 800 branches, revealed a rise in sales in May, with its chairman attributing the rise in demand to Guinness becoming 'fashionable' through social media trends.